Last Words
by LightWriter2013
Summary: Anakin has died and told Luke all he had to say before parting forever, but now he wants to explain to some old friends what has happened to him and say goodbye before he fades completely. The force connects all, allowing Anakin to visit the living in places strong with the force, but does that include R2-D2 and C-3PO?


_There's always people who die; leaving good friends behind. Both sides always have something they wished they could have said to the other. _

_However no life lasts forever, and soon the living will join the dead. Friends are reunited all the time, and are able to say those last words they yearned to say along with many, many more for an eternity to come. _

_But, in a few cases, one's friends don't die. Ever. And, in even fewer times, they never even knew that the one who died had been a __friend. _

_In those few times those who knew would mourn, but the others would go on with life with no remembrance of their now dead friend. _

_Thankfully the force connects all life together, and friends never really are separated. _

_Even if one side doesn't know it._

* * *

Anakin breathed deeply, taking in the energy of the force that made it so his spirit could move among the living. He was traveling through dark space, mentally heading for a specific place. It was the first time in a while that his son, C3-PO, and R2-D2 had returned to Endor's moon, and he wasn't about to pass up the opportunity to see them again, especially when he was due to fade at any time.

The spirit's travel slowed and he soon stopped. He opened his eyes to see the thick, jungle landscape surrounding his shimmering blue form.

_For once I can see C-3PO and R2-D2 again. They can see me, and know what's happened to me. I can talk to them before I can no longer visit them._

Anakin started walking forward, moving silently among the trees towards the place he knew his friends were.

_I can explain what happened all those years ago… I can apologize for not saying goodbye, and let them know that I changed; that I'm who they used to know again._

He stopped at the foot of an unusually large tree (compared to the already massive trees that covered the moon) and looked up to the branches. Evening was approaching so what sky that could be seen between the thick canopy was blue, orange, and pink. A slight wind was rustling the branches high up in the air, turning them into long, reaching arms that stretched out to grasp neighbor arms and hands in a fellowshipping hug or handshake.

Up in the branches rich jungle wood, reaching from tree to tree and wrapping around the thick trunks, marked where the distant bridges and huts of the Ewoks were built, all lit with an increasingly bright yellow glow from large fires or small torches.

_I have so many things to say… so many things to explain..._

Anakin closed his eyes and willed the force to take him up. He felt himself start to fly, moving higher and higher until he landed on the middle of a bridge between the two largest trees of the jungle.

_I'm so excited!_

The sounds of Ewoks singing and chatting from the huts in the surrounding canopy filled Anakin's ears and he grinned at the merriness of the little creatures. He paused to appreciate the rhythmic, tribal sound of the songs, swaying slightly with the beat.

Suddenly a figure came into view and Anakin looked over to find Luke walking slowly along the bridge, eyes cast upwards, obviously in thought.

_"L-Luke... Luke!"_ Anakin gasped happily, running over to stand in front of his son, _"Oh, my son, I've been dying to see you again!"_

Anakin watched with eagerness as Luke's eyes turned to him and lit up merrily. "Father," he nodded in greeting, which Anakin returned, "It has been a while. I honestly thought I would not see you again."

Anakin shook his head. _"I am going to fade soon. This will undoubtedly be the last you see of me."_

Luke smiled sadly, looking down at his feet. "I thought so. I'm glad, though, that you will be finally able to mingle with the Force."

_"Yes, and all thanks to you, son. I do not know what would have happened if I hadn't returned to the light side of the force."_

Luke looked back up, eyes shining. "I know you've told me what you've wanted to, and so have I. Why have you come back? I'm glad to see you, but attachments-"

_"I wanted to see C-3PO and_ R2." Anakin cut in, looking over Luke's shoulder to search for the two droids, _"They don't know what's happened to me since I had turned to the Dark side; only that you killed me. Where are they?"_

"Oh. Um, they're in the hut I came from," Luke answered, his face falling with uncertainty, "Uh, father, I want you to know-" But Anakin didn't stay long enough to listen. He jogged, practically running, along the bridge and entered the crowded Ewok hut, not bothering to notice the little creatures as they shuffled away from his Force-filled aura, unable to see him but able to sense his presence.

Anakin looked around frantically until he finally saw the gold form of C-3PO and the short blue and white form of R2-D2 at the far side of the building. He ran towards them, excitement and love filling his chest as he got closer to speaking with them for the last time. Finally, after slipping through the small paths the Ewoks made for him, and even having a cluster drift through him, causing quite a disturbance for the unfortunate group, Anakin stopped to stand in front of his old friends.

_"C-3PO! R2! It's so good to see you again! How have you been?"_

"My goodness, what has gotten the Ewoks into such a panic? R2, what did you do?"

R2's response was a flurry of defensive whines and whistles.

Anakin stood stock still, staring at his robotic friends with shock and sorrow. Had they not heard him? "_C-3PO… R2… come on…"_

"No, no, why are you all moving away from us? What is wrong, dear friends?" C-3PO's emotionless, glowing yellow eyes scanned over the retreating crowd of confused Ewoks, listening as they complained and chattered to themselves. Suddenly C-3PO stood up straighter in surprise. "What? A spirit? What on earth are you talking about?" An Ewok, the obvious leader of the tribe, rapidly said something in its own language, of which C-3PO apparently was shocked to hear. "You can feel a strange power in the air right in front of R2 and I?" The Ewok warbled a reply. "Don't be absurd. Whatever it is cannot hurt us. Besides, anything of the sort is scientifically impossible. The chances of a spirit being in this room are zero." R2 backed up his metal companion with a series of whistles.

Anakin stumbled back a pace, causing the Ewoks to shuffle backwards, but he didn't care. They couldn't see him… they couldn't hear him…

He felt a pair of eyes stare at his back and he turned around to see his son watching him from the hut's entry, arms folded and shoulder leaning against a support log with his head held lower than usual…

He knew.

Anakin wished himself to glide to Luke and for a moment he felt the sensation of flying until he re-formed next to him. Meanwhile the Ewoks were pushing and shoving to get a good distance from the two.

"Ah, master Luke. I'm sorry, but the Ewoks have the notion that a spirit is haunting their home." R2 added his own opinion to C-3PO's, domed head spinning slightly in mocking amusement. "Now don't be rude, R2," C-3PO hit his hand against R2's metal side, "They can have their beliefs if they want to. We have no right to criticize them."

Luke turned his gaze from the droids back to Anakin, his blue eyes shimmering with sadness and guilt.

_"Th-they can't hear me… or see me…"_ Anakin let his head fall down slightly to look blankly at Luke's shoulder.

"Father, they're droids; they're not connected with the force." Luke explained with a soft voice.

_"But everything-_ everything-_ is connected with the force. It flows everywhere, into __everyone- every_thing_…"_ Anakin looked over to the two droids who were taking turns talking the Ewoks and looking at Luke. _"After all these years I thought they would-… I thought-…"_

"They're inorganic. Even if they could see you their programming is completely unable to comprehend what exactly they would be seeing. They wouldn't believe that it was really you talking because they know that you are dead, and the dead, to droids, are only that. Nothing else."

_"I just thought that, because I had made C-3PO, and because R2 and I had been partners since, well, forever, that they would be…"_

"An acception?"

Anakin nodded. _"I only want them to know that I'm ok, and that I'm not evil anymore… I want to say sorry, and that I was confused and blinded by the dark side and lost sight of what was good… I don't want their last memory of me to be me killing the Padawns in cold blood, or abandoning them and my other friends, or dying as Darth Vader…"_ He felt his chest seize up with the realization that all that the droids remember of him now was evil. _"Luke... Luke, please, could you tell them? Could you tell them what's happened to me?"_

"I- I don't know if that's-"

_"Please! They're my best friends, Luke; I can't let them continue in life thinking I had turned evil and died evil... Just tell them. Tell them how you turned me back, and that I wish them luck in life... and that I'll miss them."_

Luke grinned and shook his head, defeated, "Ok. Just for you, Father, I'll tell them."

Anakin smiled with relief, glancing over to his two old, oblivious friends. _"I just hope they'll understand... it'll be hard for them to accept that I, as Darth Vader, helped you defeat Sidious."_

Luke nodded in agreement, looking at the two droids along with his Father, "It will be an interesting conversation indeed."

_"Just do your best, and I will be content," _Anakin put his hand forward, letting it hover right next to Luke's shoulder as if resting it lovingly against him,_ "I wish you, too, Son, a good life." _He used what little power he had left and briefly solidified his hand so he really was touching Luke, but that only lasted a second before it was turned back to normal.

Luke nodded a farewell, looking somewhat surprised by the short contact with the spirit but not about to forget the experience, "Thank you. I will miss you, Father."

_"And I you." _Anakin started drifting away, heading back into the jungle, but quickly turned to look back at his son, _"Say goodbye for me. They might not understand that I was the spirit the Ewoks sensed, but there's always the possibility."_ Without another word, the spirit imagined leaving the moon and soon found himself flying through space, no thoughts at all going through his mind for he was content. He had said his farewell, even if it wasn't in the way he wanted, but it was goodbye, and he knew his old, metal friends would be glad to hear of his happy ending.

Anakin's last words had been made.


End file.
